Craftsman/Kobalt/Tekton/Pittsburg Sockets/Wrenches -- General Thoughts/Question

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I wasn’t aware that there are any Sears stores still operating?

The independently owned stores are still out there. I stop in at the one in Hamilton MT, anytime I’m headed over to Missoula, just to see what they have on sale. Got a 55-inch top box last year for half price because it had a dent, and scratch on the back. Put it up on a bench, and no one will see the back in my lifetime, so it is good for me.

I’ve been buying Gear Wrench brand stuff of the last couple of years, and it is holding up well enough. I have a pretty good set of Craftsman wrenches, sockets, etc, from the mid 70s. I was still living t home rent free, and going to college, had a part time job at UPS loading trucks, and was making just over $14/hr, which was really good money in those days. the only expenses i had was gasoline to get back and forth to walk and school, so I had quite a bit of spending money. I’d swing by the Sears catalog store, every Friday on the way home and buy tools that were on sale. Had to put some of the more expensive stuff on layaway, and pay it off over a couple of checks. I still have the complete set of wrenches, ratchets sockets etc. Had to replace a few that I lost, but have never broken any.

Every once in a while the local Ace Hardware has the Craftsman wrenches, and sockets sets on sale. And I have bought a set of 3/8 ratchet and sockets, and wrenches with a tool roll for each of he vehicles I drive. For about $25 invested, I can fix most stuff that is fixable on the road.

The Chiwanese stuff varies in quality, because they are very good at making exactly what you ask for. If whoever is having them make branded tools knows how to write good specifications, they will get consistently good to very good tools. If they don’t know how to spec out what they want, they will get inconsistent results. You have to specify anything you want, alloy, heat treatment, Rockwell Hardness, brittleness, tolerances, etc. And the manufacturers will give you what ever you ask for. Better brands, do a better job of defining what they want, pay for what they want, and get top quality tools. Lower cost brands, have less stringent specs, and pay less. So, they can sell for less.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I have all from 3mm to 3 inches. 100 different brands. I don't care who makes it, just that I have all the sizes. I have a shop and a truck with crane,and that is how I roll.

 

[IndyJay]

I wasn’t aware that there are any Sears stores still operating?

Funny you should mention that... from today's headlines...

Sears To Shutter It Last Store In Home State Of Illinois

(RTTNews) - Department store chain Sears is closing down its last store located in its home state of Illinois, CNBC reported. The company, which w...

markets.businessinsider.com

 

[JWR]

So I've got a very, very nice set of Craftsman USA made sockets with assorted goodies.

I bought a medium sized set of Craftsman not quite as extensive as yours with my first paycheck in 1962. Lifetime of good use. Never a problem. The only things I broke in those 60 years were my fault and really my abuse. I find it helpful that many places sell Craftsman tools these days including locally Ace Hardware, Lowes, and I think even some in Walmart. Obviously the name and the aura got sold a few times after the demise of Sears. I have not tried to get guarantee replacement of anything in the last 20 years but the website for Craftsman still say Lifetime Warrantee. I see no great advantages to any other brand.

 

[sunandsand]

Best place I've found to buy tools is a small-town flea market. That usually doesn't work if you need to replace something specific right now, but is a wonderful resource if you buy tools "just in case", or if you keep your eyes open for deals. I've bought three arc welders (c'mon do I really need three?) for under $50 each, I found an aircraft grade wire crimper which sells for $400+ (yes, it is that good!) for $20, and a week later, two more for $10 each. Sockets out the wazoo, I only buy good brands, not the cheap stuff, and I seldom have to pay more than 50 cents for a socket. I needed a half inch eight point socket (square nut), half a buck. I needed a 16mm socket, half a buck. Drill bits, files, punches, often four for a dollar, a few moments inspection will tell me if the item is sharp (or can be sharpened) or is junk - pass. A $65 safety wire twister for a dollar, I had to clean off a little surface rust on that one.

I also have a box of crap tools as loaners. I do not EVER lend out my good tools because they just don't come back. Most casual tool users ("homeowners") have no idea what good tools cost, how to use them, or how to take care of them. I lent a relative a screwdriver a year ago, it came back covered in rust "Oh, I left it out in the rain", I lent a neighbor a 1 1/2 inch socket, it came back with hammer marks on it, so now I say of course you can borrow tool X, and I tell them to pick whatever they need from the junk tool box. Asking to borrow the good stuff places their life in mortal danger . . .

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida

 

[Midniteoyl]

I lent a relative a screwdriver a year ago, it came back covered in rust "Oh, I left it out in the rain",

I lent out a 12" sliding compound miter saw once. When I stopped by to see how he was getting along, I found it in back covered in a soaked, collapsed, cardboard box. Stand not covered at all. 2 foot from the shed door.. When I confronted him, he was like "What? I covered it before it rained!". Threw it the back of the truck right there and then.

 

[crashz]

You guys are making me want to buy some new tools. One of my strongest addictions along with rusty trucks.

I have vintage Craftsman, and the lesser quality tools (HF and others) but I really like my SK tools.

 

[IndyJay]

My Dad's 50 year old SK ratchets are better than my relatively new USA Craftsman. There is absolutely no slop, if you move it even a hair, it clicks into a new "grab". I've got several of his old tools combined with mine, they are my "go to's" when reaching for a tool.

 

[California]

Best place I've found to buy tools is a small-town flea market. ... a wonderful resource if you buy tools "just in case", or if you keep your eyes open for deals. I've bought three arc welders (c'mon do I really need three?) for under $50 each, ... Sockets out the wazoo ... Drill bits, files, punches, often four for a dollar ...

You can over do it.

Dad was a yard sale junky. Then McClellan AFB auctioned or junked mountains of aircraft repair stuff over several years (had been the Pacific region aircraft overhaul site WWII through Y2k, before the base closed). I inherited so much stuff that I'm still sorting out what to keep, 20 years later.

Here's the photo of excess drills that I just posted over in the Estate Liquidation thread. The drill bits I use are in my tractor stall shop, another several sets are by the big drill press in a different shop, then there are these that are to good to get rid of but not needed for anything. There are other categories of tools with many duplicates, one example is a dozen Wiss tin snips. My daughters are going to cuss when they have to settle my estate!

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[cjvickers]

Attached is the Craftsman Warranty